DeBartolo Jr Honored

Things are moving and times are changing in Santa Clara, the house that Eddie built. The 49ers announced today that Eddie DeBartolo Jr. would be the first inductee into the newly-formed Edward DeBartolo Sr. Hall of Fame.

The news came in a long release from the organization and marked a distinct change from the last regime when an unwritten law was laid down that the mention of the name “Eddie” was verboten. But with team president Jed York’s increasing influence, Eddie has obviously and deservedly been revived.

Eddie DeBartolo, pictured here with Bill Walsh, will be honored by the 49ers.

“I can’t think of a single person that is more deserving of this honor than my uncle,” York said in the release. “With a distinct vision, he took over an average team and transformed it into arguably the greatest dynasty in professional sports over a 20-year span. We are excited to have an opportunity to recognize all of Eddie’s contributions to the 49ers organization during the upcoming season.”

Jed talks to Eddie regularly and the revival of Eddie can only mean good things for a franchise that’s been moribund since his departure. The DeBartolo induction coincides with the expansion of the team’s 21-year old facility, that’s taking place in the midst of a recession. That’s something Eddie would have done.

It seems to signal that York might function more like his uncle than his father, who moved painfully slow on major decisions and who witnessed the collapse of a perennially winning franchise under his tenure. But, hey, this blog isn’t meant as a slam on John York, but as a celebration of Eddie.

“This is such a great honor for me,” DeBartolo said in the statement. “I would like to thank my nephew Jed and the entire 49ers family for selecting me to be the first member of the 49ers Hall of Fame. I was truly fortunate to have had so many great people around me, starting with my dear friend, and the greatest coach of all time, the late Bill Walsh, and the Hall of Fame players who one day will be inducted alongside me into the 49ers Hall of Fame. I always say I was born in Youngstown, Ohio, but I was really born 32 years ago in San Francisco when my family acquired the 49ers.”

The release even included Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, who famously challenged Eddie during a contract negotiation in his playing days.

“We have witnessed many great owners in sports, but in my mind, there has been no greater owner than Mr. Eddie DeBartolo,” Lott said in the release. “He set the highest standard, and has raised the bar for all the other owners to reach. The way he treated people, the way he built his franchise and the way he won. He made things personal and not many owners make it personal. Mr. D was so filled with pride, so driven and passionate about building the team into something great, and look at what he accomplished: five Super Bowl victories and the building of one of the most dominating franchises in NFL history. He had an enormous impact on all of our lives and his determination to win changed the entire Bay Area forever. Mr. D stands alone at the top.”

This is a bold move by Jed, who’s isn’t afraid to mention his uncle’s success. He seems to be saying by this induction, that he wants to return to the glory years. Now the only thing left to do is allow Eddie to become involved with the team. The organization could certainly use his money and one source with close ties to the NFL said the league would likely let him back in with the 49ers. Of course, Eddie wouldn’t have to be around, but he could be relied upon for advice and he could steer the franchise out of this dark era with his resources.

What’s the thinking?

BLOG NOTE: I have a day long obligation and won’t be able to report from the first day of minicamp tomorrow. However, I’ll be back Tuesday and will be at the facility for the last two minicamp practices on Wednesday and Thursday.